New Patterns of Musical Behaviour in Austria

Michael HuberInstitute for Music Sociology

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna

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schedule

• The „WHAT, WHY, WHEN, and HOW“ of the research project

• Theoretical assumptions• New contexts of musical behaviour• Research results

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The study

• Extensive quantitative survey in spring 2009(!)• Face-to-face interviews (with 1042 Austrians)• Representative for the Austrian population

(gender, age, education, occupation, profession, migration background, size of home, regional belonging)

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Research objectives

• Problem-oriented quantitative survey on musical behaviour;

• consideration of social structural characteristics (age, education, gender, …);

• regard on high data quality.

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Fundamental assumptions

• Identity construction by the way of affirmation and distinction is one of the main development tasks of young people.

• Demonstrative music reception is one of the most proved strategies of distinction.

• Music reception behaviour is strongly affected by age and education of the listeners.

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Outcomes of the digitalisation

• Recorded music no longer requires a physical storage medium.

• Via „the internet“ a great deal of music is available at any time (without payment).

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Outcomes of the „web 2.0“

• Every „visitor“ of „the internet“ not only can receive information but is able to take part in the shaping of its contents.

• Past and present use automatically impacts future supplies.

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Decline of recorded music,increase of live music (source: Page 2011)

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Apple Inc. / net income in mio. $

-5000

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30000

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Goals of the research

• To demonstrate the influence of „web 2.0“ on new ways of music reception;

• to demonstrate the impact of age and education on the use of these new reception possibilities.

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Significant findingson the whole population

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leisure time activities

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„Making music“ as a leisure activity

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Favorite music styles

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The biggest preference groupis that with no favorite music

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The highest graded music stile is „Oldies“ (like it vs. don‘t like it)

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Attendance of music events

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Music listening devices

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Change in personal music listeningsince the emerge of „the internet“

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Most enjoyed social settingwhen listening to music

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Most wanted qualities of music

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Significant findings on the distinctions between the under

30s and the over 30s:

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leisure time activities (several times per week)

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Since there is „the internet“ …

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Favorite music styles

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Often used devices for music reception

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Music use via the internet (often)

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Users‘ most wanted web services

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Making music (at least sometimes)

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The „generation web 2.0“ accounts for 20% of the Austrian population

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Synapsis on musical behaviour of the young people in Austria

• The young people show a new approach to recorded music.

• This new musical behaviour is indeed in strong contrast to the listening habits of the CD era.

• Now as before musical preferences are most influenced by education.

Thank you!

Michael HuberInstitute for Music Sociology

University of Music and Performing Arts Viennahuber-m@mdw.ac.at